Every now and then I read the tea leaves correctly, which is what happened last summer when I wrote: “A political squabble in Adams County, known for rough-and-tough Democratic politics, threatens the party’s chance to hold on to a crucial Colorado Senate seat.”

A shake up at the Colorado capitol.

The Adams County clerk and recorder late Friday released its final results, showing that Republican Beth Martinez Humenik had beaten Democrat Judy Solano by 876 votes. With that victory, Republicans end a decade-long drought and retake control of the state Senate 18-17.

Outgoing Sen. Lois Tochtrop refused to endorse Solano for her seat, saying the former state representative should have backed her two years ago on an inner-party, “inside baseball” leadership vote.

A memorial will be held Tuesday for former state Sen. Stephanie Takis, an Aurora Democrat known for her mischievous twinkle, great laugh and mentorship to several Adams County politicians.

A memorial service for former Sen. Stephanie Takis is scheduled for Tuesday night.

Takis, who was 69, died Aug. 5 at home. She was born in Salt Lake City and had worked as a financial analyst for the federal government and as a congressional liaison. Takis served on the Aurora City Council from 1989 to 1993 and in the legislature from 1997 to 2008.

Her memorial service is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Moorhead Park, 2390 Havana St.

“Stephanie Takis knew who she was, what she believed and delivered it with her one-of-a-kind voice,” said Senate President Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora. “I loved being around her. She was grounded, no drama, warm, but behind that smile everyone knew — don’t mess with Adams County women!”

Here’s what some friends, lawmakers and lobbyists had to say about Takis:

Friend Carolyn Boller:
When something struck Steph as funny she could let out the biggest laugh and her whole being went into the laugh. I can still hear it.

In the Colorado governor’s race, only two Republicans — former Congressman Bob Beauprez and Secretary of State Scott Gessler — didn’t hesitate when asked what seemed like an easy-enough question for the GOP field: Name a Democrat serving in the legislature who you admire and why.

Former Congressman Tom Tancredo couldn’t come up with anyone and former Sen. Mike Kopp struggled, which was a surprise considering he only left the state Senate in 2011. He eventually chose Sen. Lois Tochtrop of Westminster.

They were asked the question during individual taped interviews at The Denver Post last week in preparation for stories on the four Republican contenders that will appear this week in The Post. The winner of the June 24 primary faces Democrat John Hickenlooper, who is running for a second term.

Colorado ranks as the fifth least-affordable childcare in the nation, and a bill to be heard this week by a Senate committee tried to remedy that.

Senate Bill 3 increases the state investment in Colorado Child Care Assistance Program to it’s pre-recession levels. It is scheduled to be heard at 1:30 p.m. Thursday and is by Sen. Jeanne Nicholson, D-Black Hawk, Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood.

Here’s a list of others bills Senate Democrats have put on its “noteworthy” proposals to be heard this week, and the majority office’s explanation for those bills:

The legislature is closed today because of snow otherwise Sen. Lois Tochtrop would be celebrating her 72nd birthday with 99 friends, most of them wearing orange in honor of the Denver Broncos playing in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Tochtrop — affectionately known as Truckstop or Backstop — is the longest serving state legislator. The Adams County Democrat started her first session in 1999, the year the Broncos won their second Super Bowl. Her Democratic colleague, Sen. Mike Johnston of Denver, paid homage to her this week, noting no other lawmaker has served in the same year that the Broncos won a Super Bowl.

Tochtrop said that will change Sunday, when all 100 lawmakers can say they were in the Colorado General Assembly the year the Broncos won a Super Bowl. The Broncos face the Seattle Seahawks in a game that has inspired plenty of bets — and even a fight over green chile, of all things.

A bill requiring in-person training for concealed carry permits passed through House Thursday.

Lawmakers in the Colorado House on Thursday laid over a vote on a measure that limits online training for concealed carry permits. A date for when the House might cast votes on the measure has not been set.

Senate Bill 195 allows for aspects of the permit process to be completed on the Internet, but it requires an individual seeking a concealed-carry permit to prove competence with a handgun in the presence of a certified instructor.

It passed out out of the Senate with bipartisan support last month.

Sponsored by Rep. Jenise May, D-Aurora, and Sen. Lois Tochrop, D-Thornton, the bill originally looked to require the entire certification course be taught by an instructor at a physical location with no option for online coursework.

[media-credit name=”Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette ” align=”alignright” width=”270″][/media-credit] Senate President John Morse says his gun liability bill could be introduced as early as Wednesday.

The president of the Colorado Senate said he is “shooting for Wednesday” to introduce his bill making the manufacturers and sellers of assault-style weapons legally liable for damage inflicted with such firearms.

The other gun proposal that could be introduced Wednesday is by Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Thornton. It requires in-person training for concealed-weapons permits, which now can be obtained through online courses. Staunch Second Amendment supporters agree that the online certification process, especially compacted into an hour, is concerning.

“That’s not acceptable,” said Dave Kopel of the Independence Institute, a Colorado think tank, told the Denver Post in December. “That’s not what Colorado law requires.”

Braeden Lepro, a fourth-grader at Longmont Estates Elementary School, sits in Sen. Brandon Shaffer’s seat on the Senate floor while Shaffer, the Senate president, tells the other students about opening day at the legislature on Wednesday.

A Longmont fourth-grade class got a sneak preview of tomorrow’s opening day events in the Senate, courtesy of one of the student’s dads.

Dylan Shaffer, a student at Longmont Estates Elementary, is the son of the Senate president, Democrat Brandon Shaffer. His class took a field trip to the Capitol today.

The 2012 session opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Perhaps the students were wise to visit today instead of waiting for the speeches tomorrow. Shaffer last week admitted to the Denver Post editorial board that he’s no orator.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.